What is splenomegaly?
Splenomegaly simply means “large spleen”. This can be caused by a large number of unrelated medical conditions such as:
• Congestive disease – end stage cirrhosis (Banti’s disease);
• Myeloproliferative diseases – Hodgkin’s disease, leukemias, primary thrombocythemia and poycythemia vera;
• Infectious diseases – infectious mononucleosis, bacterial endocarditis, hepatitis and psittacosis (disease in birds transmitted to humans), tuberculosis, brucellosis, malaria and syphilis etc.;
• Inflammatory diseases – sarcoidosis, lupus or Felty’s syndrome; and
• lipoid and non-lipod storage diseases – Gaucher’s, Hand-Schüller-Christian, Niemann-Pick, and Letterer-Siwe disease.
Hypersplenism is a type of anemia that may develop when there is a reduction of blood cells as a result of splenomegaly. The lower number of blood cells because the bone marrow is unable to keep up and replace the blood cells that the spleen is filtering too quickly.
What are the signs and symptoms of splenomegaly?
The symptoms tend to be from the underlying disease process. There may also be a feeling of fullness early into a meal from the pressure of the enlarged spleen on the neighboring stomach. The patient may also experience pain in the left upper abdomen.
How is splenomegaly diagnosed?
The physician will first perform a physical examination followed by an ultrasound. In certain cases an MRI scan may be required. Blood count tests and blood cultures may also be ordered.
How is splenomegaly treated?
As splenomegaly is merely a symptom of another disease, treatment is focused on the underlying condition. If severe hypersplenism is present a hematologist may recommend that the spleen may be removed (splenectomy).
